Hinged handle connection for floor treating machine



. July 23, 1957 A. w. SEYFRIED ,800,372

HINGED HANDLE ONNECTION FOR FLOOR TREATING MACHINE Filed Dec. 30, 1953if; INVENTOR Arthur W. Sagfried 4 ATTORNEY HINGED HANDLE CONNECTION FORFLOOR TREATING MACHINE Arthur W. Seyfried, Racine, Wis., assignor to S.C. Johnson & Son, Inc., Racine, Wis.

Application December 30, 1953, Serial No. 401,217 1 Claim. (Cl. 306-11)This invention relates to a handle tensioning means for a floor-treatingdevice. More particularly, it relates to a handle tensioning means for ahandle attached by means of a forked bail to a floor-treating devicewhich employs a rotary brush.

In a polishing or scrubbing machine employing a single brush as the onlycontact with the floor and which rotates about a vertical axis, there isa strong tendency for the device to move across the floor surface withan irregular or unsteady motion, commonly known as wobble. Variousmethods have been advocated to eliminate this wobble, such as uniquearrangements of the various component parts of the mechanism, or eventhe employment of two counter-rotating brushes to balance the brushtorque. However, none of these methods have been successful, especiallywhen the machine is operated with the handle at angles approaching thehorizontal.

It is the object of this invention to provide a means of controllingthis irregular and unsteady movement of a single rotary brushfloor-treating device.

It is a further object of the invention to provide such a handletensioning means which is easy to assemble and disassemble.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device Which is simpleand inexpensive to manufacture.

The invention contemplates a handle tensioning means by which theoperator of the polisher or scrubber can easily control the machine andthus eliminate the wobbles, no matter what the vertical position of thehandle.

Other objects will be apparent from the following specification.

The same reference characters have been used for designation of likeparts throughout and in the drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a bottom view of a floor-treating device showing the bail in ahorizontal position and the housing in dotted lines.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the tensioning assembly taken along theline 22 in Fig. 1 with the bail in a vertical position.

Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the tensioning means.

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 illustrate, respectively, the end, side and topelevations of the lock washer used in the tensionmg means.

Referring to the drawings, the floor-treating device employing thetensioning means of this invention comprises a handle (not shown)attached to a forked bail 10 which is attached to housing 11 by means ofthe tensioning assembly designated in Fig. l by the numeral 12. A bolt13 extends substantially perpendicularly to bail 10 through an openingin housing 11 for attachment to bracket 14. Bracket 14 is rigidlyaffixed to the floortreating device by any suitable means such as byscrew 15 which engages frame member 16 of the housing.

Bolt 13 is threaded at its extremity and has a pair of parallel milledflats or keyways 17 extending for a substantial distance from thethreaded portion toward bail nited States Patent 0 10. A stop 19 ispermanently afiixed on bolt 13 at a position relatively remote from itsthreadedend. Alternatively, stop 19 may be keyed to match an extensionof flats 17, thus permitting its removal, but preventing it fromcontacting housing 11. The stop is larger in diameter than bolt 13,permitting insertion of bolt 13 through the hole in bracket 14 to alimited extent only. A nut 18 fits over the threaded portion of the boltto secure it after it has been passed through bracket 14. As nut 18 istightened, bolt 13 is drawn through the bracket until the latter isengaged by stop 19.

To prevent the accidental loosening of nut 18 on bolt 13, a spring orlock washer designated by the numeral 20 is employed. Lock washer 20,more clearly illustrated in Fig. 4 is a piece of spring steel havingarms 21 extending from the upper surface thereof to engage a pair ofopposing faces of nut 18 and prevent its rotation. Beneath the lockwasher 20 at its lowermost extremities are located a pair of nubs 22.Keyed washer 24 comprises an aperture 25 which is defined by anon-cylindrical surface conforming to the shape of bolt 13 at its milledflats 17. Keyed washer 24 also contains a pair of slots 26 in one facethereof on the opposite ends of its diameter.

In assembling the tensioning means bolt 13 is first inserted throughhousing 11. Stop 19 is then affixed to the bolt. Bracket 14 is then slidover the annular portion of bolt and attached to member 16. Next followskeyed washer 24, lock washer 20, and nut 18, respectively. Washers 27may also be added to the assembly if desired.

When nut 18 is tightened, bolt 13 is drawn through bracket 14 until thelatter contacts stop 19. Arms 21 engage a pair of faces of the nutcausing lock washer 20 to rotate as nut 18 is turned. Nut 18 is rotatedand lock washer 20 is compressed and rotated thereby until the desiredtension on bail 10 and bolt 13 is achieved. The nut and lock washer arethen turned to cause nubs 22 to be engaged in slots 26 of the keyedwasher 24. When the floor-treating device is thereafter used andmovement of bail 10 causes bolt 13 to rotate, keyed washer 24 rotatestherewith causing lock washer 20 and nut 18 also to follow its rotation,thereby preventing the loosening of nut 18.

If the machine has a tendency to oscillate severely, the locking nut 18is tightened, thereby increasing the tension between the bail and thehousing of the machine, making it easier to control and eliminating thewobble.

It is appreciated that various other types of lock Washers may beemployed as well as a number of different types of brackets to securethe bail to the housing of the floortreating unit.

In practice, it may be desired that a hearing or bushing surface beemployed where the bail extension 13 is contiguous with the surface ofthe opening in bracket 14. This minimizes wear and facilitates the easyand even vertical movement of the handle of the floor-treating device.

Thus, through the practice of my invention, the severe oscillatingmovement or wobble commonly attributed to small rotary brush polishingand scrubbing machines can be readily and easily controlled. Anyoperator can, with a minimum of effort, entirely eliminate this wobble,even when the handle of the machine is in a completely horizontalposition.

While there are above disclosed but a limited number of embodiments ofthe structure of the invention herein presented, it is possible toproduce still other embodiments without departing from the inventiveconcept herein disclosed, and it is desired therefore that only suchlimitations be imposed on the appended claim as are stated therein, orrequired by the prior art.

I claim:

An improved tensioning device for stabilizing a floor treating machinecomprising in combination a forked bail,

, 3 a bolt integral with said bail extending inwardly from one extremethereof said bolt being threaded at its free end and having keywaysadjacent to the threading, a

bracket an annular opening circumscribing saidbolt means for securingsaid. bracket .to the floor-treatingmachine to be stabilized, stoppingmeans to restrict the extent to which said bolt passes through theannular opening of said bracket. a washer circumscribing. said bolt andhaving keys for engagement in the keyways ofsai'd .bo'lt said washeralso having-a slot in one face thereof, threaded.

gaging the slot in said slotted washer whereby rotation of said boltcauses the rotation of the slotted washer, lockwasher and threaded meansas a unit.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS865,137 Wallen Sept. 3, 1907 1,409,685 Dormandy Mar. 14, 1922 2,316,709Owen Apr. 13, 1943 2,651,530 Blydenburgh .'Sept. 8, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS377,431 Germany June 18. 1923

